Colorado Public Radio

December 12, 2014

This week's in-depth coverage of the Colorado culture scene from CPR's arts bureau:

“36 Views of Lion’s Lair,” a photography exhibition at Denver’s Leon Gallery, offers glimpses of everyday life near the Colfax Avenue dive bar. CPR arts editor Chloe Veltman spoke with photographer Gary Isaacs about how a famous nineteenth century series of Japanese woodblock prints inspired him to pursue the project.

Five years ago, self-proclaimed barfly Drew Bixby wrote “Denver’s Best Dive Bars: Diving and Drinking in the Mile High City.” In his book, Bixby predicted that Denver dive bars would one day disappear. He talked with CPR’s Ryan Warner about whether or not his prediction is coming true.

Instead of “The Nutcracker,” Denver contemporary dance troupe Wonderbound is presenting a production that aims to engage all the senses this holiday season. Artistic director Garrett Ammon explained why the company is taking a departure from the traditional holiday ballet for the first time in more than 10 years.

The metro area Regional Transportation District (RTD) unveiled a bus displaying the winning artwork from a pilot contest for middle school students. CPR arts reporter Corey H. Jones spoke with the young artists behind the creative buses.

In this week’s Book Club segment, Colorado-based authors Lisa Jones, Helen Thorpe and Peter Heller discussed the authors whose work they most envy.

A new Off-Broadway play opening this week at New York’s La Mama Experimental Theatre is set in Massachusetts. But Colorado looms large in the minds of its characters. CPR’s Chloe Veltman explores the themes behind “If Colorado had an ocean” with the drama's playwright, Mike Gorman.

Morrison-based painter Michael Charron endured extreme weather to capture “views rarely seen and probably never painted” of Colorado's Zirkel Wilderness. The resulting artwork is now on display at the Gilmore Art Center in Denver. CPR contributor Shanna Lewis takes a closer look at Charron’s process.

Arts happenings around Colorado this weekend:
CPR’s Arts Bureau spotlights this weekend’s Colorado cultural events, including a musical mash-up of “Moulin Rouge,” an exhibition featuring art that comments on consumerism and more.

Coverage from CPR's arts bureau is now also available as a weekly podcast via iTunes and the NPR podcast directory.